Creating a Webquest

Creating a Webquest, though kind of tedious, was not as bad as I thought it would be. Because I am doing my student teaching right now it was not too hard for to come up with a topic. In just another month I will beginning Huck Finn with a junior honors class, and I thought that a Webquest would be a great way to get the students used to doing research as part of a book analysis. I did have a little trouble though coming up with the exact assignment. I thought it would be neat if I had them do little projects in the form of "adventures", but I chose to do essays, because many of these students are concerned with having to write college essays.
I like my assignment, and though it is kind of vague, I think that it is enough for juniors; as hard as it is, I think they need to take more initiative in the form of independent research. I think that my sources may be weak though, and I plan to do a little more research myself for better ones.
Until then...

Digital immigrant who migrated at an early age

After reading Marc Prensk's compelling article Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, I am concluding that while I was born a digital immigrant, I migrated into the technology world at a young enough age so that my "accent ", for the most part, has deteriorated.
While I do still read my morning news in paper form, and listen to the radio (traits of the digital immigrant), I also utilize Google for further information and listen to podcasts regularly. I don't have cable, but I do have high speed Internet, so I watch the news and my favorite ABC shows over the Internet (traits of the digital native).
I have noticed however that my proneness towards technology and computers has enlarged over time. When I first began college it was always my inclination to write papers out by hand first, then type them on the computer. And even though I eventually became accustomed to typing first drafts, I would always print them for editing. Gradually, I have ceased to need to print things, but I am not sure if that was a good idea because I find that the drafts that were edited on paper on better than those that I looked over and corrected on a screen.
Even if I often prefer to have info in paper form, I am comfortable with computers and technology. Whenever I have a question about something, or I just become curious, the first thing (and probably the only thing) I do is "Google it". My mind is trained for web research, and for this reason I am not scared of creating technology based activities such as Webquests, or using Wiki pages in the class. I actually prefer them over traditional learning.
Because I have been around computers most of my life, I have also learned a thing or two about troubleshooting, and I think that this kind of knowledge will be helpful when I am teacher to keep lessons running smoothly should I run into inevitable techno-difficulty.
www.twitchspeed.com/site/prensky

My experiences with education in the classroom

I think that I must be of the last generation of students to not receive formal computer education in the elementary grades. When I was young my exposure to the computer was limited to that computer that sits in the back of the classroom, but is never turned on. Since my own elementary years though, I have witnessed an increase in the use of education in the classroom. For example, I worked as a para in a kindergarten classroom. In that classroom there were four computers with specific learning software, that was part of their work stations exercise. The students did nothing on the actual web. At this moment, my experience with tech in the classroom is limited to a computer screen on an LCD projector, and a system of grading and attendance that is done electronically.
The other way in which I have experienced technology in the field of education is through in-service meetings. This year, a man named Alan November came to a meeting and spoke about the online word document Google Docs, which actually works just the same as a wiki. Epals which is a place where teachers can collaborate with other teachers around the world on lessons and ideas. Students in entire classrooms can even chat through epals. Screencast is a place where teachers and students can post their own videos, podcasts, and power point presentations. And Skype, which is an online phone system. Teachers can use it to telephone anyone around the world to talk, through the computer, to the class. I think that you would have to add some sort of microphone to your computer. You'll notice that I am very vague about these things, and that is because I have not actually had my own personal experience with them. I have only seen them presented in an auditorium.
So how does all of the affect how I think about the changes technology is making in the classroom? Well, on a mere psychological level, I think that getting students involved with technology makes them feel sophisticated. Imagine the joy of having the responsibility of creating something with a very valuable piece of equipment. I think technology makes students feel more privileged in the classroom, and probably more engaged.
I also think that technology makes the classroom more fun. Who wants to stare at a black board all day, and write on plain white paper when we can look at everything in bright, flashy, come to life images on a computer? Technology is also exposing students to the big world outside of their classroom. A student who may never step foot in India can suddenly chat with an Indian classroom. This is a great way of building tolerance and acceptance of different cultures, and that right there has the potential to change the world.
For teachers, technology is changing everything they do. They have to learn how to use Internet based grading systems that allow students and parents to see grades and comments at all times. This will definitely make teachers be more accountable for what they do.
In all, technology is changing how much students and teachers are all on display. Things such as wiki make everybody's work visual, in the way that sharing emails with students in India does. But this does not have to threatening to the authors. Instead, technology can be used to reflect on and advance the ideas of students and teachers.

Of course I didn't completely follow directions...

I was just looking over the requirements for our blog, and I realized that I did not answer any of the questions that I was sopposed to. So here goes:

I decided to take this class after seeing a U-Tube video in which a four year old girl knew how to use an iphone. It occured to me that technology is the future of education, and I do not want to get behind before it is too late. I began to imagine what the four year old will be able to do by middle school if she can operate an iphone now!
I expect that this class will offer me an introduction to ways of incorporating computers and the internet into everyday lesson plans. I also hope to get some of the technology lingo down so that I will not look like a fool in front of my students.
When I first looked through the course material I had a little bit of anxiety about whether or not a person was required to have some sort of computer super knowledge in order to do well in the course. But after navigating a little, it all seems to be pretty straight forward. So no real anxiety thus far...

I also had a chance to look over the Internet research tutorial, and I was impressed the most with the information about copyright. When teaching, it feels like anything is fair game; after all, who would want to infringe on a student's right to information. Well, this is not exactly the case. Apparently we are only allowed to use 5% of an entire work, or one article, or one chapter- it depending on what is least. We are only allowed the least. My question is, what happens if you have taken all you are allowed, but still need more? Are you expected to write to some company? or the author?

Welcome to my blog!

Hello Everyone!
Welcome to my very first blog!
A bit about myself- I am a senior at Johnson State College, and I am currently doing my student teaching at Enosburg High School; 11th grade English. JSC is my fourth college. Prior to this, I attended college in Arizona, the University of Maine at Orono, and I graduated from CCV in 2006. So many colleges, but always a major in Education. Oh, and I am native to St. Johnsbury, VT.
I enrolled in this course after attending an in-service meeting at Enosburg, where my eyes were awakened to the necessity of understanding technology in education. I look forward to this class, and possibly even applying what I learn to my classroom experience.